


Forever Sweet

by starchitect



Series: Let's Not Think About Tomorrow [1]
Category: Astral Chain (Video Game)
Genre: Azure flirts with him until he dies of embarrassment don't @ me, Blushing, Cute, First Meetings, Flirting, Fluff, Flustered Hal, Hal is a mess, Hal is a nervous wreck but that's why we love him, I'm so so happy, M/M, Post-Game(s), Sharing a Milkshake, Shy Hal, Teasing, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, follow-up fic, hazure, he also has anxiety, honestly you might get diabetes from how sweet this is, link in the notes :D, update: there's fanart!!!!, warning you now, well in real life lmao
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-19
Updated: 2019-09-19
Packaged: 2020-10-24 06:15:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20701289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starchitect/pseuds/starchitect
Summary: “When this is all over, can I meet you?"He swallows, the question weighted with something much heavier that he can’t quite place. “The real you, I mean."The smile that spreads across Hal’s face is so bright it’s almost blinding.“Yeah. I’d like that.”~~Peace has finally settled on the Ark, and Hal promised to meet Azure in real life. He realizes that talking to Azure with a drone and talking to him in the flesh are two very,verydifferent things.





	Forever Sweet

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ohmygoshwhatascream](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohmygoshwhatascream/gifts).
  * Inspired by [After The Fall (Three Days Later)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20542961) by [ohmygoshwhatascream](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohmygoshwhatascream/pseuds/ohmygoshwhatascream). 

> So uhhhh Scream wrote this amazing fic as a gift for me getting to File 10 and skjfhskfj the ending got me so I had to write a follow-up fic for her
> 
> Love ya Scream <3

To say that Hal is nervous would be a huge understatement. Anxious comes close, but _ terrified _ is probably the most accurate term to describe what he’s feeling. He’s out of his comfort zone, away from his home and surrounded by real people for the first time in _ years, _ and a part of him is worried that he’s going to get a nasty sunburn just from sitting by the window after being a shut-in for the longest time.

It’s not even sunny today, and yet Hal can’t bring himself to be out in public without _ something _ covering part of his face, so he’s wearing a pair of sunglasses in lieu of his usual mask. He knows he’s going to have to take them off sooner or later, since Azure wanted to see him in person and find out what he really looks like, but for now, he takes comfort in being able to avoid accidentally making eye contact with anyone.

He checks his watch for the third time in the last five minutes. Azure’s going to be here soon, _ in the flesh, _ and Hal is having a hard time mentally preparing himself for that. They agreed to meet at a small cafe with hardly any customers— Hal wouldn’t be able to handle anything bigger. They hadn’t exactly planned out what was going to happen once they met up, but they would figure something out.

_ It’s okay, _ Azure had told him, _ We can start small and go slow. You don’t have to take any big steps just yet. _

Hal would have argued that just _ going outside and meeting up in person _ was a pretty big step, but that was besides the point.

Either way, he couldn’t possibly express how grateful he was. Azure had always been considerate of him, always looking out for him, always asking if he was okay after something bad happened, always _ there. _ Always supportive and ready to back him up if need be. Hal appreciated that more than anything.

Another glance at his watch tells him that Azure is going to be at the cafe any minute now. It takes every ounce of Hal’s willpower not to stand up and start pacing, so he tries to ease his growing anxiety by bouncing his leg rapidly and drumming his fingers against the table.

After the most agonizing two minutes of his life, Hal finally sees Azure in the distance, making his way to the cafe. At this, the nervous tics come to a halt and he freezes. He shrinks into his chair, trying to appear as small as possible while tearing his eyes away from Azure in an attempt to seem like he doesn’t see him.

When the bell above the door rings, Hal’s heart stops. He watches his friend glance around the cafe for a moment before finally settling his eyes on him and making his way to Hal’s table in the far corner.

He’s not entirely sure why he stood up, but he can’t exactly go back now. Time slows down around him and now the only sound is the beating of his heart thumping loudly in his ears. Each step Azure takes toward him is an eternity, and Hal is suddenly unsure of what to think right now. This feels like a dream, like he’s in a virtual reality game and everything around him is simulated, artificial. The game has begun, but he doesn’t even know where the start button is. Hell, he doesn’t even know how to _ play the game, _and that’s at least ten times more terrifying than any chimera he’s ever seen.

Finally, _ finally, _ Azure stops at his table. There’s a heavy silence in the air between them as he stands there, perfectly still, with eyes sparkling and a smile warmer and brighter than the sun itself. Hal can’t help but smile back, and it’s this exact moment that makes leaving all familiarity behind so worth it.

Then, after a moment of wordlessly taking in his presence, Azure throws himself forward and wraps strong arms around Hal, causing him to let out an embarrassed squeak in response. Suddenly things don’t feel like virtual reality anymore, and the snug embrace Azure has him in is proof enough that this is _ real. _ This is really happening. Azure is actually _ here, _ holding Hal in his arms, and he’s never felt so relieved, so lucky, so _ loved, _ and it’s almost enough for him to start crying.

The blond’s arms are heavy at his sides (it has nothing to do with the fact that they’re made of metal), but he manages to bring them up to return the hug. The movement is stiff, almost robotic, but if Azure notices, he doesn’t comment.

They stand there for what feels like forever, but the second they separate, it feels all too short. As he lets his arms fall back to his sides, Hal is met with that gorgeous smile again, and if he wasn’t a nervous wreck before, he definitely is now. He opens his mouth to say something, _ anything, _ but no sound comes out. He spends a few more seconds struggling before Azure saves him the trouble by speaking first.

“Hey,” he greets, and his voice is the most beautiful sound Hal’s ever heard. Hearing him speak through the drone’s microphone was one thing, but it doesn’t even come close to what he sounds like in person. 

_ Somehow, _ by some god-given miracle, Hal is able to force some words past his throat.

“H-hey yourself,” he replies, unable to stop himself from stuttering. The words feel like lead on his tongue, heavy and awkward. He tries again.

“I-I mean… Hi. Azure.”

Dammit. His stutter’s only gotten worse. He bites his lip.

“It’s good to see you,” Azure says, in a tone that makes his heart swell. “The real you. Not just a hologram.”

His face flushes at that, and Hal swears he’s on the verge of a heart attack. The look Azure is giving him is so raw, so _ genuine, _ and so full of something he can’t identify, and it’s causing various emotions to stir. For the first time in what feels like his entire life, he’s talking to someone face-to-face, and it feels...good. Still awkward, of course, but _ good. _ Azure’s presence always made him feel good, even through the eyes of his drone. But this… This is something else entirely. His heart won’t stop racing, his throat is dry, and his head is spinning. It’s somehow stressful and relaxing at the same time.

“I… S-same to you.”

The brunet chuckles at this. “You’re so nervous.”

He takes Hal’s hands into his own.

_ “Relax.” _

Hal smiles sheepishly, his cheeks turning pink. “R-right.”

“Hey, are you okay?”

“Huh?”

Azure frowns slightly. “You’re crying.”

“W-what?” Hal stammers. “N-no, I’m— I’m not crying, I just—”

He stops as he registers the tears rolling down his cheeks. He hadn’t even realized he’d been tearing up.

“...Oh.”

At this, more tears start to fall, as if calling attention to them only caused him to cry harder. He scrubs at his eyes uselessly, trying and failing to keep himself from outright sobbing.

“Are you alright?” Azure asks, concern laced with slight amusement.

“I… I don’t know,” Hal admits, a nervous laugh escaping his lips. “S-sorry, it’s just...a lot. I mean, I can’t believe you’re really _here._ It’s kinda… s-surreal, you know?”

“Yeah,” the brunet agrees. “I could say the same thing about you.”

Hal opens his mouth to respond, but Azure stops him by bringing him into another hug, one that’s much more short-lived.

“May I?” Azure asks, hovering a hand over the sunglasses still on Hal’s face.

The programmer hesitates. This is it: the moment of truth. This is what Azure’s been waiting for, to finally see what he really looks like without a mask or anything else covering his face. In all honesty, Hal is a little scared. He’s gone so long without showing his face to anyone. What will Azure think when he finally finds out what he truly looks like?

He sucks in a breath. It’s fine—Azure wouldn’t judge him for something like appearance. Hell, if he really wanted to, he could have done so by now, given that Hal’s arms aren’t even real.

So, Hal supposes there’s no point worrying over it now. It’s better to just get it over with.

“G-go ahead,” he whispers, closing his eyes as he does so.

Now that he has permission, Azure brings a hand up to gently brush ashy blond hair from Hal’s face. His fingers are warm to the touch.

Next, he takes his time removing the sunglasses, going slow enough for Hal to count the seconds. He handles them so gently, like they might break if he goes any faster.

At last, the sunglasses are set aside, and Hal’s breath catches at the strange feeling of their absence. His eyes flutter open as he looks up at Azure, who gasps softly.

_ “Wow,” _ he breathes, eyebrows raised and lips slightly parted.

The blond fidgets anxiously. “What?”

Azure smirks and leans in a little.

“You’re a lot cuter than your hologram.”

Okay, so this is how Hal is going to die. Good to know.

He suddenly wishes he still had his mask to hide behind, because he can feel the blush crawling up his neck, and _ dammit, _ Azure is way too casual about this. He quickly covers his face with one hand, a small whine escaping his lips.

“C-come on,” he says, averting his eyes. “I wouldn’t go _that _ far.”

“Why not?” Azure asks innocently. “It’s true. You’re really cute.”

“I _ highly _ doubt that,” Hal argues, face heating up further. “Y-You’re exaggerating.”

“Oh yeah?” the brunet counters. “How could I exaggerate the most gorgeous eyes in the universe?”

“Azure…”

“Or blond hair that shines like platinum? Or a perfect jawline?”

_ “Azure.” _

The man in question threads his fingers through Hal’s hair affectionately before resting it on the back of his neck.

“...Or perhaps a form so fetching it puts even models to shame?”

_ “Okay, I get it!” _ Hal yelps, burying his face in his hands. “Good grief…”

Azure chuckles. “Sorry, Hal.” He doesn’t sound very apologetic. “I couldn’t resist. You’re just so adorable when you’re flustered.”

Hal only groans in response.

“Well, in any case, I’m gonna go order something. Do you want anything?”

The programmer moves his fingers to peek through them.

“J-Just pick whatever…” he mutters, before returning to his seat at the table.

Immediately after Hal says that, Azure gets a _ look _ in his eyes, and it’s enough to make Hal’s stomach drop. He _ knows _ that look. That’s the exact same look that Azure gets when he’s about to do something ridiculous. It spells nothing but trouble in the field, so Hal can only imagine what it means in a quiet cafe with no sign of danger.

Either way, it’s out of his hands now, which means all he can do is wait in suspense. He leans on his hand and drums his fingers on the table absentmindedly, listening to the cafe’s quiet radio and watching civilians as they walk by. Seeing people laugh and talk like this, it’s a reminder of how different things are now. He remembers always finding fearful, uneasy looks on the faces of those who passed by, but with more and more gates closing every day, those looks are replaced with smiles and laughter.

The thought makes Hal think of Azure, how he was never all that expressive. He was quiet, didn’t talk much, and rarely ever smiled. But now, with every day making the world a better place, Azure has never been more carefree. It’s almost as if he’s a completely different person, and Hal wouldn’t trade their friendship for anything.

He takes a glance at Azure, who’s coming back to their table with a large milkshake in hand, and the look on his face makes him wonder if what they have is even mere friendship anymore. Ever since he woke up in Zone 09 after fusing with his Legion for the first time, things have been..._ different _ between them. More intimate.

Ever since _ “Can I meet you?”, _ their relationship has turned down a different path.

They started patrolling together instead of individually. During meetings, Azure would steal affectionate glances at his hologram, and he would smile back in response. He would give Hal casual compliments on the edge of flirting, and Hal would blush at the praise and avert his eyes with a nervous laugh.

There was more conversation between them, discussions that didn’t involve strategies to protect the base or how to defend against chimera attacks. There were days when they would talk late into the night, and there were days when Azure was particularly quiet, and on those days Hal would always start to worry and check in on him to make sure he was okay. 

And sometimes, when they were alone, _ really truly alone, _ Azure would tell him just how important he was to him. How valuable he was to the team, and how nothing he did was ever unacknowledged or unappreciated. He would say that he cared about Hal _ so much, _ that he admired his determination and treasured his loyalty. That he would want nothing more than to stay by his side.

And Hal would smile so bright, teary-eyed underneath his mask, and promise:

_ “I’ll see you when this is over." _

He’s drawn from his thoughts when Azure sits down and places the drink on the table. It’s now that he gets a better look at it, and he realizes that there’s not one, but _ two _ straws inserted into it. It can only mean one thing. He looks up at Azure with a blush dusting his cheeks.

“Is this…?”

The brunet smiles innocently, but his eyes betray him with a mischievous sparkle. He knew _ exactly _ what he was doing.

“I thought I’d go for something...special,” he explains. “Gotta make our first meeting memorable, right?”

If Hal wasn’t so flustered by the fact that they’re _ sharing a milkshake, _ he probably would have laughed.

“Uh...y-yeah,” he agrees, his face growing hotter. “Thanks.”

Hal isn’t sure when he started counting, but now he can’t stop himself from taking note of every time Azure smiles. Maybe it’s because he didn’t start expressing himself until after humanity was saved and Yoseph was stopped. He really doesn’t know. Either way, Hal decides that Azure’s smile is now his new favorite thing to look at.

“Well, give it a try,” Azure says, before leaning forward to take a sip. “I made sure to get your favorite. Strawberry, right?”

“I’m...surprised you remember that,” Hal chuckles nervously. He hesitates before closing his mouth around the second straw and trying the drink himself. He’s immediately met with the sugary sweet taste of strawberry, and he closes his eyes and smiles happily. He can’t remember the last time he went to a cafe and ordered something, but this tastes better than he imagined.

And being able to share this with Azure… He’s _ so _ lucky.

After a moment, Hal opens his eyes. He looks up at Azure, and _ wow, their faces are a lot closer than he thought. _ Without thinking, his gaze travels downward to Azure’s soft lips; they’re mere _ inches _ away from his, and that paired with his beautiful dark eyes has Hal’s face turning bright red again. He wordlessly takes another sip, still unable to tear his eyes away from Azure’s lips.

“My eyes are up here, Hal.”

Hal has to try _ very _ hard not to choke at that. He sputters before quickly burying his face in his hands.

“S-sorry!” he stammers, cheeks burning with a mix of shame and embarrassment. “I, uhm…”

Azure smirks and chuckles softly. “Relax. I was just teasing.”

The programmer moves his hands. “Oh, right.”

They fall into a somewhat awkward silence after that. Minutes pass by while the two of them work at draining their milkshake, and Hal finds himself tuning in to the radio. He smiles as he catches the chorus of [some old punk rock song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4mPBmBg7DQ) from the early 2000's.

...The lyrics remind him of Azure a little bit. Hal remembers how eager he was to help him investigate Zone 09, even at the risk of getting caught. It was such a selfless act of kindness, and Hal would be lying if he said his heart didn’t skip a beat when Azure arrived at Harmony Square to meet him.

“Do you want to?”

Hal blinks, snapping out of his trance. “Huh?”

“To kiss me.”

He blushes, suddenly remembering how he’d been eyeing Azure’s lips mere moments ago. And he can’t deny it—kissing Azure sounds nice, but… Hal doesn’t think he’s ready for something like that. If a couple hugs and some compliments had him beyond flustered, then there’s no telling what a _ kiss _ would do to him.

“I… W-well—”

Azure’s expression softens. “It’s okay, Hal. You can say no.” He takes Hal’s hand across the table, and Hal doesn’t object. “I know just being here is a big step for you. And I don’t want to pressure you into anything. But,” He squeezes Hal’s hand encouragingly. “I _ am _proud of you for coming out here.”

Hal swears he might cry again with Azure being so sweet. He takes a deep breath before responding.

“...Thanks.”

But somehow just saying that doesn’t feel right. He shakes his head.

“S-sorry, I just… I mean, it’s not that I don’t _ want _ to, it’s just…”

The brunet tilts his head. “Difficult?”

Hal nods. “Yeah.”

Azure does a good job at hiding it, but Hal can tell he’s a little disappointed. He probably wanted this just as much as him—if not more so.

“But...”

His blush deepens. It’s suddenly hard for him to maintain eye contact.

“I’m okay with you taking the lead.”

Azure squeezes his hand again. “Are you sure?”

He nods wordlessly. 

At this, Azure smiles brighter than ever, and Hal isn’t sure his heart can take it.

“Well, in that case…”

He leans across the table to slowly close the distance between them, before planting a soft, affectionate kiss on Hal’s forehead.

“I’d be happy to.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hazure is so wholesome and I would die for these two thanks for coming to my TED talk
> 
> I plan to write more Hazure in the future, so just know this isn't the last you'll see of me >:3c
> 
> And if you're a music person, I made a [playlist](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7IOqqbiBsTdJhDqOO_KJ8ifGZaY5K2kD) for these two uwu
> 
> ALSO please go check out this [lovely fanart](https://twitter.com/novaasker/status/1177708276647116800) drawn by NovaAsker on Twitter!! It's so cute and good and I legit almost cried when I saw it


End file.
